SOUTHERN AFRICA. 343 
the great nursery of our seamen ; but in times like the present, 
when civilized society is convulsed in every part of the world, 
our colonies may fail and our commerce may be checked. 
From what source, then, is our navy to be manned t The 
glorious feats that have been performed in our ships of war, 
from the first-rate down to the pinnace, were not by the ex- 
ertions of men taken from the plough. Courage alone is not 
sufficient for the accomplishment of such actions ; there must 
be activity, skill, and management, such as can be acquired 
only by constant habit from early youth. The cultivation 
of the fisheries would afford a never failing supply of men so 
instructed ; would furnish the markets with a wholesome and 
nutritious food ; and would increase our conveniencies, ex- 
tend our manufactures, and promote our commerce. 
For, independent of the important consideration of re- 
ducing the present high price of" butchers' meat, by bringing 
a more ample supply of fish to the several markets of Eng- 
land, the fisheries are of great moment in another point of 
view : whale oil is now become so valuable an article of con- 
sumption in Great Britain, not only for the safety and con- 
veniency it afibrds by lighting the streets of our cities and 
great towns at a moderate expence, but as a substitute for 
tallow and grease in various manufactures, that it may be 
considered as an indispensable commodity, whose demand is 
likely to increase in proportion as arts and manufactures are 
extended, and new applications of its use discovered. We 
ought, then, to consider both the home fishery for supplying 
the markets with food, and the w^hale fishery for furnishing 
